The most delicious chicken in batter

Ingredients:

• 1.3 kg of bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (cut the breasts in half crosswise)
• 3 and 1/3 cups of sour milk or kefir
• 2 tbsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp. yellow mustard
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, cut into 1 cm thick rings.
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp. sweet paprika
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 5 tbsp. vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour to allow the flavor to develop.
2. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of buttermilk, hot sauce, and mustard. Add the garlic and onion, then the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Stir in the remaining 1/3 cup buttermilk and mix until the batter forms small, loose clumps.
4. One piece at a time, remove the chicken from the sour milk, allowing any excess to drip back into the pan, and roll it in the flour mixture, pressing with your hands to coat thoroughly. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
5. Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) of vegetable oil into a large cast-iron skillet. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°F (175°C). Carefully add the chicken pieces, 4-5 at a time, to the hot oil. The oil temperature will drop; adjust the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature at 320°F (160°C). Fry the chicken, without turning, until the skin begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
6. Flip the chicken pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until crispy and golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the breasts registers 165°F (71°C) and the thighs 175°F (77°C), 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer with tongs to a clean rack set over a baking sheet; season lightly with salt. Return the oil to 350°F (175°C) before frying the next batch of chicken.
7. After frying all the chicken, you can fry onion rings if desired. Pat the onions dry and separate into rings, then coat them in the flour mixture. Fry, turning once, until crispy and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve. chicken on buns.